Drapery actuator



Aug. 30, 1966 R 1 ET AL DRAPERY ACTUATOR 2 Sheets-Sheefi 1 Original Filed Aug. '7, 1961 s M TL mm WA m M R LARRY D. CAMPBELL ROBERT V. SICKLER BUCKHORN, CHEATHAM 8: BLORE A T TORNE YS 240 a 0 jg Y wi u 5 r 1m (1 3 4 0 VSFQS Aug. 30, 1966 R, A. GILL ET AL 3,269,454

DRAPERY ACTUATOR Original Filed Aug. 7, 1961 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.8.

FIG.IO.

INVENTORS. ROBERT A. GILL LARRY l2 CAMPBELL BY ROBERT V. SICKLER BUG/(HORN. CHE/J THAM 8 BLOR .4 7' TOR/VEKS United States Patent 3,269,454 DRAPERY ACTUATOR Robert A. Giil, 615 SW. Country Club Road, Lake Oswego, Greg, and Larry D. Campbell, Lake Oswego, and Robert V. Sicidcr, Portland, Greg; said Campbell and said Sickler assignors to said Gill Continuation of application Ser. No. 129,844, Aug. 7, 1961. This application Nov. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 324,605 6 Claims. (Cl. 160-331) This application is a continuation of our copending application Serial No. 129,844, filed August 7, 1961, for Drapery Actuator, now abandoned.

Our present invention comprises an actuator for opening and closing draperies or other closure members, such as the folding doors illustrated, described and claimed in the copending application of Robert A. Gill, Serial No. 53,982, filed September 6, 1960, now abandoned, or any other closure member which may be opened and closed by a pull cord adapted to be attached to the closure member in such manner as to form a bight with one reach attached to the closure member in such manner that pulling upon the reach will open the closure member and the other reach attached to the closure member in such manner that pulling upon the other reach will close the closure member.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple, eilective driving means for operating the pull cord in such devices, which will develop a firm pull on the cord in either direction and of sufficient power to operate the closure member without slippage of the driving means.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be controlled either automatically or manually.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character described in which independent adjustment of the pull on each reach of the pull cord may be easily accomplished.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character which embodies a relatively small motor and control means which may be concealed behind draperies or the like, or which may be inconspicuously mounted in the open.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character which may be easily mounted and adjusted to the particular installation without special tools and equipment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character in which means are provided to prevent jamming of the device by an accumulation of the pull cord therein.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character in which overrun of the actuator is effectively prevented.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which two preferred embodiments of the present invention are set forth.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 illustrates one form of the invention as installed for actuating a set of draperies;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the installed actuator, taken substantially from the plane of the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

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FIG. 5 is a horizontal section'looking upward along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3, the view being on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of a slack-adjusting device which may be utilized with the invention;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section looking upward from the plane of the line 7 -7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram for the device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7 inclusive;

FIG. 9 is a view in elevation, partially broken away, of a modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic wiring diagram of the modification disclosed in FIG. 9.

A set of draperies 10 and 11 are illustrated in FIG. 1 as mounted in the usual manner on a drapery rod 12 fixed to a wall 13. In the conventional arrangement of such devices -a pull cord is afiixed to the draperies 10 and 11 in such manner that the pull cord is formed into a bight 14 with taut reaches 15 and 16 which extend vertically in substantially parallel relation, one reach being attached to the draperies in such manner that pulling thereon opens the draperies and the other reach being attached to the draperies in such manner that pulling thereon closes the draperies. The actuator comprises a housing 17 which maybe attached to the wall 13 by screws 18, the housing being preferably provided with a hinged cover 19. The reaches 15 and 16 of the cord pass through a slot 20 in the upper end of the hinged cover. A power supply cable 21 enters the lower portion of the housing and is provided with a plug 22 for attachment to an outlet receptacle 23. A branch cord 24 leads to a single pole, double throw switch 25 which may be conveniently mounted on the wall at the normal height of wall switches.

The bight of the cord 14 embraces a drive roller mounted upon a drive shaft 31 extending horizontally through a mounting plate 32 mounted within the housing 17 by screws 33. The drive shaft 31 extends horizontally through the mounting plate 32 into a reduction gear train (not shown) within a reduction gear train housing 34 extending from a condenser run, reversible, induction type electric motor 35 fixed to the rear of the plate 32 by screws 36. The reaches of the cord are pinched between the drive roller 30 and a pair of idler pressure rollers 37 and 38 respectively. Each roller is provided with a resilient surfacing, roller 30 having a resilient surfacing indicated at 39, roller 37 having a resilient surfacing indicated at 40, and roller 38 having a resilient surfacing indicated at 41. The pressure rollers are mounted on axes parallel to the axis of the drive roller and in such relation to the drive roller that the resilient covers are pressed together, the rollers being substantially on radii of the drive roller at 90 apart and to each side of an upper vertical radius centrally between the reaches 15 and 16. The thickness of the resilient coverings of the three rollers is such that the cord is firmly gripped therebetween and the relationship is such that the bight 14 is caused to engage a major portion of the periphery of the drive roller, in the illustrated instance somewhat in excess of 270 of the periphery. The cord is thereby firmly frictionally driven as the drive roller 30 is rotated in either direction by the action of the reversible motor. The condenser 42 is conveniently mounted alongside of the motor by means of a clamp 43.

Mounted above the pressure rollers are a double pole, double throw switch and a switch actuator 51. The switch 50 preferably comprises a toggle device of conventional character including a pair of spring toggles 52 having overcenter springs therein for holding the toggles in.

either position, depending upon the shifting of a toggle plate 53 between limiting abutments 54. The toggle plate 53 is slotted for reception of the upper end of a spring lever 55 conveniently mounted in an insulator block 56 which holds the poles of the switch. The spring lever 55 projects into a slot 60 in a switch actuator bar 61 which is slidably guided for limited horizontal movement in a pair of cars 62 standing above the plate 32. The ends of the actuator 61, which are guided in openings in the cars 62, are reduced so as to provide shoulders against which a pair of spring retainer washers 64 are seated. A pair of coil springs 65 surrounding the reduced portions are compressed between the ears 62 and the washers 64, and resist shift-ing movement of the switch actuator from a centralized position. The reaches 15 and 16 of the cord pass on the outer sides of a pair of eccentric guide b-ushings 66 which are mounted on the surface of the actuator by screws as illustrated, and which may be clamped in adjusted positions by the screws. The members 66 spread the reaches apart so that each reach leaves the grip of the rollers at an outwardly inclined angle, the angularity of each of which may be independently adjusted by appropriately setting the position of the members 66.

The action of the foregoing is as follows. When one of the reaches 15 or 16 is pulled downwardly the drapery or other closure member will reach a limit position, which will cause the motor to try to straighten the vertical angle therein caused by the guide members 66 on the switch actuator. Initially this will bend the flexible lever 55 until the force thereof against the toggle plate 53 overcomes the toggle springs 52, which thereupon causes the switch contacts to be thrown against the opposite poles. As seen in FIG. 8, the switch 25 is connected to the center contacts of the double pole, double throw switch 50, diagonal contacts of which are not wired into the circuit. Therefore, when the position of switch 50 is reversed, the motor 35 will stop until the position of switch 25 is reversed, whereupon the motor will run in the opposite direction. As a result, the switch 25 can be set and the person may walk away knowing that as soon as resistance is encountered by reason of the drapery having reached the limit of its movement, the motor will be stopped. On the other hand, the person may set the switch 25 to start the draperies moving, then stand by and throw the switch 25 t the dead side so as to arrest the draperies at any desired intermediate position.

Equalization of the pull on each reach of the cord may be achieved by appropriately adjusting the eccentric guide members 66. This may be of particular importance if the structure should require positioning the reaches and 16 out of plumb. This would cause the switch actuator to move in one direction at a greater force than required to move it in the other direction, a condition for which compensation may be made by independently adjusting the guide members 66. Such adjustment eliminates unnecessary wear and tear on the equipment, and provides means whereby the device may be adjusted for closure members of different weights or required pull on the cord.

In drawing the reaches of the cord taut, they may be appropriately cut and tied at their points of attachment to the closure device. However, in order to provide for convenient tautening, a tension clip may be provided, which clip comprises a flattened, open, tubular spring member 70 having a diamond shaped opening 71 through which a loop in one of the reaches may be drawn, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The opposite arms of the loop may be retained in adjusted position by clipping them into the crimped ends of the member. While we have illustrated a loop so held, it is obvious that the cord may be cut at this point and the two ends so held.

In order to prevent an accumulation of slack in either reach of the cord from piling up in the space between the pressure rollers, the drive roller and the switch actuator, there is provided a wedge-shaped spacer member 80 which tapers downwardly toward the upper surface of the drive roller 30 and is provided with grooves in its side to permit passage of the cord between the spacer member and the adjacent surfaces of the pressure rollers 37 and 38. The arrangement of the pressure rollers against the drive roller and the member therebtween is such that a considerable resistance to continued movement of the cord occurs after the current supply is cut off, whereby overrun is substantially prevented, thus eliminating the necessity for clutch rotors in the motor, or solenoid brakes on the motor, or setting of limit switches to cut out ahead of actually desired stopping points, any of which would add to the cost, complication of installation, and noise level of operation.

The drive mechanism described in detail heretofore is embodied in the manually actuated model disclosed in FIGS. 9 and 10. In this model a housing 8'1 is provided with an intermediate partition 82 upon which the drive roller 30, pressure rollers 37 and 38, and member 80 are mounted as previously described. In this case the reaches 15 and 16 of the cord are not separated by a switch actuator, control of the motor being manually accomplished by an opening push-button switch 84 and a closing push-button switch 83, both of the type which are selfopened by springs. Manual depression of the appropriate push button will cause actuation of the reversible motor in the desired direction. When the closure member reaches the desired position, the button is released and the device comes to an immediate stop.

Having illustrated and described two preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention permits of modification in arrangement and detail. We claim as our invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an actuator for opening and closing closure members,

a cord for moving such closure members and having a bight portion and a pair of reaches extending from the bight portion,

a drive roller in the bight portion of the cord,

pressure means urged toward the drive roller and pressing the cord against the drive roller to provide driving engagement therebetween,

reversible electric means for driving the drive roller,

switch means movable between a first condition actuating the reversible drive means to drive the drive roller in one direction and a second condition deenergizing the electric means,

a switch actuator urged against a second portion of the cord spaced from the drive roller and movable by lateral movement of the second portion of the cord when the second portion of the cord has a tension above a predetermined tension to actuate the switch means from the first condition thereof to the second condition thereof.

2. In a drapery actuator,

a cord having a bight and a pair of reaches,

a floating switch actuator having a pair of guide portions each guiding one of the reaches of the cord at a point thereof spaced from the bight,

reversible drive means in the bight and drivingly engaging the cord,

a pair of means deflecting the portions of the cord between the bight and the guide portions to cause the last-mentioned portions of the cord to extend angularly relatively to the portions of the cord on the other side of the guide portions,

means urging the switch actuator toward a first position against lateral force of either of the cord reaches on the switch actuator and permitting movement of the switch actuator from the first position when the tension on one of the reaches exceeds a predetermined tension,

and switch means operable by movement of the switch actuator from the first position thereof to stop the drive means.

3. In a drapery actuator,

a drive roller,

an actuator cord having a bight portion engaging the drive roller and extending partly therearound and also having a pair of reaches extending from the bight portion,

a pair of pinch rollers pressing opposed portions of the cord against the drive roller and having the most adjacent portions of the peripheries thereof spaced a predetermined distance apart,

a switch actuator positioned between the reaches of the cord and having a pair of guide portions spaced apart a distance substantially greater than said predetermined distance,

each of the guide portions serving to receive and guide one of the reaches of the cord,

means mounting the actuator in a position adjacent to the pinch rollers such that the reaches of the cord extend angularly from the guide portions to the pinch rollers,

a reversible electric motor for driving the drive roller,

reset switch means having a first pair of contacts for actuating the motor in one direction and a second pair of contacts for actuating the motor in the other direction and movable between a first position in which the first pair of contacts is open and the second pair of contacts is closed and a second position in which the first pair of contacts is closed and the second pair of contacts is open,

means interconnecting the switch actuator and the switch means for moving tahe switch means to the first position when the actuator is moved by tension in one of the reaches above a predetermined tension and the switch means to the second position when the actuator is moved by tension in the other reach greater than said predetermined tension,

and manually operable switch means for selectively connecting the pairs of contacts to the motor.

4. The drapery actuator of claim 3 including a wedgeshaped separator filling the space between the portions of the cord extending from the guide portions to the pinch rollers to prevent accumulation of slack cord in said space.

5. In an actuator for opening and closing draperies or other closure members,

a reversible electric motor,

a drive roller rotatable on. a first horizontal axis and driven by the motor,

6 a highly flexible pull cord extending around and engaging the lower and side portions of the drive roller,

the pull cord extending around substantially more than 180 of the periphery of the drive roller,

a pair of pressure rollers mounted rotatably 011 horizontal axes parallel to and positioned above and on opposite sides of said first horizontal axis in positions in which the pressure rollers contintlously press portions of the pull cord adjacent upper portions of the periphery of the drive roller located above and on opposite sides of said first horizontal axis directly against said upper portions of the drive roller,

and guide means positioned between the pressure rollers and adjacent the upper portion of the periphery of the drive roller for stripping the pull cord from the drive roller and guiding the two reaches of the cord to and from the drive roller between the guide means and the pressure rollers.

6. In an actuator for opening and closing draperies or other closure members,

a reversible electric motor,

a drive roller rotatable on a first axis and driven by the motor,

a highly flexible pull cord extending around and engaging at least one half of the periphery of the drive roller,

a pair of pressure rollers mounted rotatably on axes parallel to and on opposite sides of said first axis in positions in which the pressure rollers continuously press portions of the pull cord adjacent spaced portions of the periphery of the drive roller directly against said spaced portions of the drive roller,

and guide means positioned between the pressure rollers and adjacent the upper portion of the periphery of the drive roller for stripping the pull cord from the drive roller and guiding the two reaches of the cord to and from the drive roller between the guide means and the pressure rollers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,595,669 8/1926 K=urner 254-141 X 1,998,931 4/1935 Kellogg 226-183 2,703,236 3/1955 Verdier 26859 2,773,668 12/1956 Robins et a1. 254167 2,788,481 4/1957 Lui et a1 160331 X 3,003,552 10/ 1961 Eilenberger 160331 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner. 

6. IN AN ACTUATOR FOR OPENING AND CLOSING DRAPERIES OR OTHER CLOSURE MEMBERS, A REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTOR, A DRIVE ROLLER ROTATABLE ON A FIRST AXIS AND DRIVEN BY THE MOTOR, A HIGHLY FLEXIBLE PULL CORD EXTENDING AROUND AND ENGAGING AT LEAST ONE HALF OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE DRIVE ROLLER, A PAIR OF PRESSURE ROLLERS MOUNTED ROTATABLY ON AXES PARALLEL TO AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FIRST AXIS IN POSITIONS IN WHICH THE PRESSURE ROLLERS CONTINUOUSLY PRESS PORTIONS OF THE PULL CORD ADJACNET SPACED PORTIONS OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE DRIVE ROLLER DIRECTLY AGAINST SAID SPACED PORTIONS OF THE DRIVE ROLLER, AND GUIDE MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN THE PRESSURE ROLLERS AND ADJACENT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE DRIVE ROLLER FOR STRIPPING THE PULL CORD FROM THE DRIVE ROLLER AND GUIDING THE TWO REACHES OF THE CORD TO AND FROM THE DRIVE ROLLER BETWEEN THE GUIDE MEANS AND THE PRESSURE ROLLERS. 